Darkblast is insanely underrated. I always include at least 1 of in any list playing black because it deals with so much and you really only need 1. Victim of Night is good when the mana cost isn't a problem and Murderous Cut after that.
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I'm honestly not happy with black's targeted removal suite. It's theoretically the best color at destroying creatures, but is it? No. It's far outclassed by Bolt and Path. It's kind of overdue for black to get Instant "BB: destroy target creature", and I think by now, that wouldn't be overpowered. ( Victim Of Night is almost that, though, in Modern, and it's never played. )
This simply isn't true. Both bolt and path have negatives. Bolt stops killing at 3 and path ramps or fixes mana for the opponent. Want something close to bolt in black? Try disfigure. Want to remove something with hexproof? Nothing in red or white outside sweepers do that, but geth's verdict does. Let's be clear, nothing is swords to plowshares, but black has more ways to kill stuff than any other color. Whether or not cards are played by many or few is not only about card strength.
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Modern UB Tezzerator UBW Gifts B 8Rack
Legacy RB Goblins
In my opinion when speaking about Mono-black removal the best ones in a vacuum are probably Victim of Night and Go for the Throat.
Both of them hit pretty much everything. The problem is the context.
Victim does cost double black. That makes it pretty much unsplashable.
Go for the Throat is bad because Affinity is thing. It's so funny actually without Affinity in the format this would be probably the go-to removal spell in Black decks since it basically reads "Destroy target creature". Sure it could not kill Wurmcoil Engine but any non-exile removal is pretty bad against it anyway.
Playing Jund and switching to Junk, I've tried out a host of removal and wracked my brain for the best and most efficient. I have to say now that I'm running BGW, I really realllllly miss terminate. If you are running RB then there is no reason not to run these as a 4-of. Abrupt decay is also one of my favorite cards ever printed and is almost always a 4-of in BGx decks nowadays.
Mono-B? I have to agree with Galerion. I've tried VoN and GftT and found that the best one was probably Go for the Throat. Against affinity, abrupt decay usually takes care of their creatures, while their man-lands can be handled with land-based land hate such as Tec edge or Ghost Quarter. Dismember is ok, but I never really enjoyed paying 2-4 life to kill a creature, especially in an aggro matchup where my life total is so relevant. It's an ok card...but maybe as a 1-2 of.
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I always smile when I get a chance to play Terminate.
But strictly mono-black, Dismember is my favorite just because of its versatility. Mana Screwed? You can still play it. Hell, its splashable as long as you're okay with giving up 4 life.
What about blue black? The only stuff in those colors is dimir charm or evil twin. Why wouldn't blue black just run any black removal spell? Or maybe reality shift I guess?
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What about blue black? The only stuff in those colors is dimir charm or evil twin. Why wouldn't blue black just run any black removal spell? Or maybe reality shift I guess?
What about blue black? The only stuff in those colors is dimir charm or evil twin. Why wouldn't blue black just run any black removal spell? Or maybe reality shift I guess?
this is whats up, include disgure, and damnation, and you have the well rounded suite of 'best in class' black removal. I would say that victim is better than doomblade and go for the throat--as affinity and rhinos/tasigur are real things (and they weren't until very recently where the only thing relevant that couldnt be killed was olivia and bobs), but only if you can handle the double black.
Okay my .02 now, I think Victim and GftThroat are both about the best removal mono black has. Damnation is blacks best sweeper. Cut is a bit situational, the delve cost is a bit high to play early and efficiently. I do love Slaughter Pact, it's an auto include as a 3 of in most of my 75 with sufficient Black. Terminate is great, so is Decay, but for all around just black I'm thinking Victim of the night is an all star, because how many Zombies, werewolves, or vampires are you really worried about in this format?
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It's not the fall that hurts, it's the sudden stop at the bottom.
the red mage lives by the variance and dies by the variance. May the variance be with you, always.
Hands down Victim of Night if your mana base allows it, but that's hard. Other than that, two Dismember and one Murderous Cut is a good place to start.
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Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
I've always had a soft spot for GftT, but it's just not worth it thanks to Affinity. I'm throwing my vote in for Victim of Night, too. That BB is tough, but it hits everything relevant.
Not best removal but how does Sudden Death performs against Twin and Infect from the sideboard? On paper, the ability to stop Twin dead no matter how many Spellskites, Exarches, Dispels and Mizzium Skins they have feels awesome Liliana also sits at the three mana spot so would Sudden death be a substitute or a complement to it?
Not best removal but how does Sudden Death performs against Twin and Infect from the sideboard? On paper, the ability to stop Twin dead no matter how many Spellskites, Exarches, Dispels and Mizzium Skins they have feels awesome Liliana also sits at the three mana spot so would Sudden death be a substitute or a complement to it?
The only issue is it's three mana. And when they're on the play and have the turn 4 it's a dead card. Theoretically better on the draw, except they tap down one of your lands with their combo creature preventing the 2 for 1 because you can't in response the splinter twin cast. Slaughter pact is just miles better in every way.
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I think Disfigure is underrated. If you're playing with creatures, it's quite good. My goyf attacks your goyf, disfigure. Obviously it needs to complemented with other forms of removal like Go for the Throat or Dismember (my other two personal favorites), but it hits a ton of stuff if you think about it. All of Burn's creatures, all of Affinity's, Pestermites, Snaps, Bobs, Cliques, Delver, YP, Birds and Nobles, Merfolks, Infect dudes, Azusa...
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"I have seen the true path. I will not warm myself by the fire—I will become the flame."
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Disfigure is probably the best 1cc removal we have unless you are talking about Dismember being 1cc. I think Dismember is out of fashion now due to Red Burn being so popular. I wish we had Innocent Blood sooooo much.
Disfigure is probably the best 1cc removal we have unless you are talking about Dismember being 1cc. I think Dismember is out of fashion now due to Red Burn being so popular. I wish we had Innocent Blood sooooo much.
While I agree with you that Disfigure is very good in this format, I think that Tragic Slip is very underrated.
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This simply isn't true. Both bolt and path have negatives. Bolt stops killing at 3 and path ramps or fixes mana for the opponent. Want something close to bolt in black? Try disfigure. Want to remove something with hexproof? Nothing in red or white outside sweepers do that, but geth's verdict does. Let's be clear, nothing is swords to plowshares, but black has more ways to kill stuff than any other color. Whether or not cards are played by many or few is not only about card strength.
UB Tezzerator
UBW Gifts
B 8Rack
Legacy
RB Goblins
Merfolk?
Affinity?
Azban?
Twin?
Victim of the Night: hit almost all.
Terminate is better but have Red in casting cost and i'm thinking about best black removal.
UWR Control/Midrange/Delver
UWR TwinMiss youGBWJunk (still semi-budget; 3 tarmo only)
GWAura Hexproof
GWHatebears
Both of them hit pretty much everything. The problem is the context.
Victim does cost double black. That makes it pretty much unsplashable.
Go for the Throat is bad because Affinity is thing. It's so funny actually without Affinity in the format this would be probably the go-to removal spell in Black decks since it basically reads "Destroy target creature". Sure it could not kill Wurmcoil Engine but any non-exile removal is pretty bad against it anyway.
Mono-B? I have to agree with Galerion. I've tried VoN and GftT and found that the best one was probably Go for the Throat. Against affinity, abrupt decay usually takes care of their creatures, while their man-lands can be handled with land-based land hate such as Tec edge or Ghost Quarter. Dismember is ok, but I never really enjoyed paying 2-4 life to kill a creature, especially in an aggro matchup where my life total is so relevant. It's an ok card...but maybe as a 1-2 of.
tl;dr
If BR: Terminate
If BG: Abrupt Decay
If mono-B: Victim of Night & Go For The Throat > Dismember
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But strictly mono-black, Dismember is my favorite just because of its versatility. Mana Screwed? You can still play it. Hell, its splashable as long as you're okay with giving up 4 life.
What about blue black? The only stuff in those colors is dimir charm or evil twin. Why wouldn't blue black just run any black removal spell? Or maybe reality shift I guess?
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Well there is also stuff like Agony Warp, Warped Physique or Far // Away but generally Blue-black removal is just not very good.
Sure. People aren't running UB for blues removal and blacks counterspells.
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this is whats up, include disgure, and damnation, and you have the well rounded suite of 'best in class' black removal. I would say that victim is better than doomblade and go for the throat--as affinity and rhinos/tasigur are real things (and they weren't until very recently where the only thing relevant that couldnt be killed was olivia and bobs), but only if you can handle the double black.
edit: forgot geth's verdict tied with smallpox for best sac effect..........after liliana of the veil.
the red mage lives by the variance and dies by the variance. May the variance be with you, always.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
Dismember
Abrupt Decay
Terminate
Geth's Verdict
Slaughter Pact
Go for the Throat
Murderous Cut
Doom Blade
Disfigure
Maelstrom Pulse
Cruel Edict
Smother
Darkblast
Deathmark
Other Black spot removal.
That's the way I feel anyways.
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Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
1: Liliana of the Veil
2: Dismember
3: Murderous Cut
4: Victim of Night
5: Slaughter Pact
6: Smother
7: Darkblast
8: Disfigure
9: Doom Blade
10:Damnation
My top five B(x) removal is:
1: Abrupt Decay
2: Terminate
3: Liliana of the Veil
4: Maelstrom Pulse
5: Murderous Cut
As you can see mono black removal isn't close to being on part with multicolor removal. This is why I wish we had Innocent Blood in this format.
Decks I'm playing in Modern right now:
URB Grixis Reveler (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-grixis-reveler/)
UB Faeries (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/ub-fae-2/)
UW Azorious Control (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-ojutai-control-2/)
Decks I'm playing in Modern right now:
URB Grixis Reveler (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-grixis-reveler/)
UB Faeries (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/ub-fae-2/)
UW Azorious Control (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-ojutai-control-2/)
The only issue is it's three mana. And when they're on the play and have the turn 4 it's a dead card. Theoretically better on the draw, except they tap down one of your lands with their combo creature preventing the 2 for 1 because you can't in response the splinter twin cast. Slaughter pact is just miles better in every way.
—Lim-Dûl, the Necromancer
While I agree with you that Disfigure is very good in this format, I think that Tragic Slip is very underrated.
Decks I'm playing in Modern right now:
URB Grixis Reveler (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-grixis-reveler/)
UB Faeries (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/ub-fae-2/)
UW Azorious Control (http://www.mtgvault.com/supast4r7/decks/modern-ojutai-control-2/)